The Niger State Police Command has rescued and reunited 35 kidnap victims — 16 women and 19 children — with their families after weeks in captivity.
According to the Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, the victims were intercepted while being relocated by their abductors from Birnin-Gwari to other locations.
The rescue operation, launched on July 3, was based on credible intelligence and carried out in multiple stages.
The first group, consisting of five women and six children, was rescued in Agwara. A second group of four women and seven children was intercepted along the Mekujeri–Tegina road.
The third group was discovered in a vehicle driven by Yusuf Abdullahi of Birnin-Gwari, who is now under investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for his possible involvement with the kidnappers.
The victims received care under police protection, including food, shelter, psychological counseling, and deradicalization support, in collaboration with the state government.
In response to the challenges faced by survivors, especially women returning from captivity with children or pregnancies, the state’s Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs and Women Affairs, in partnership with the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) and the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations of Nigeria (FOMWAN), organized a training for 40 government officials and service providers.
Supported by the Ford Foundation under the “Muslim Opinion Leaders for the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence in Northern Nigeria” project, the training focused on tackling stigmatization and promoting empathy for survivors.
FOMWAN’s State Amira, Hajiya Hauwa Kulu Abdullahi, called on stakeholders to treat victims with compassion and help them reintegrate into society. dRPC’s Director of Partnerships, Malam Hassan Aliyu Karofi, said the training was timely and aimed at addressing the specific needs of recently freed victims, many of whom had been held in captivity for extended periods.
